Motherwell FC - A Thread For All Seasons

[Swami]

Is it really tragic that I keep thinking that all this shitey weather will be doing wonders for that sparkly new pitch of ours? 

[Phillips455]

Just FYI in case anyone missed it, the ECL 2nd round home tickets are now on sale for season ticket holders £15 for an Adults and probably less for others.

 

Should be going on public sale soon as well.

[capt_oats]

3 hours ago, Gianfranco said:

Jamie Semple will always have his cut back for Turnbull to score that one two with the crossbar goal. His small moment of fame.

Just as Dom Thomas will always have a nutmeg on Jim Goodwin before setting up the 5th goal in a 5-0 win if my memory serves me right.

[ropy]

59 minutes ago, Phillips455 said:

Just FYI in case anyone missed it, the ECL 2nd round home tickets are now on sale for season ticket holders £15 for an Adults and probably less for others.

 

Should be going on public sale soon as well.

That’s me signed up, I am going on a European tour (to Fir Park)

[ropy]

12 minutes ago, capt_oats said:

I scored that Turnbull goal at the fives last week, it was left foot, off the keeper’s knee and right foot into the net.  9 other boys that didn’t understand the reference.  

[capt_oats]

7 hours ago, Kapowzer said:

Yeah I get that but the two signings we’ve made and the promotion of the boys won’t be far of the wages savings from those we released. So by my reckoning we’ve still got a tidy amount left to do some business.

I dunno, I suppose the sort of players I aspire we get wouldn’t be at a place to prove themselves to gain a contract.

To that point, it's probably worth noting that a number of our first team signings last season didn't happen until mid-July.

Slattery was 24th July, Ojala was 29th July and Goss was 26th August. Johansen was 31st August.

Which I guess brings us full circle to your original point of there's a chance they won't be in for Austria. 

[one m in Motherwell]

Ah, fitness consiglieri Mich’el…what could have been…

[crazylegsjoe_mfc]

It almost seems like the kiss of death to me. I know we are now in the midst of the Information Age, where there’s more data and awareness available around younger players - but I honestly rack my brains to think of having heard of a player at the age of 14/15 who’s actually gone on to fulfill their potential.

[Kapowzer]

I suppose looking at that @capt_oats we at least had in place what pretty much turned out to be our front three (by minutes played) over the course of the season (minus Tony).

We're going to Austria with a LB position that continues to give me the fear and a desire for a bit of fresh quality in midfield and attack to raise competition for places. I also don't think many on here wouldn't be against a centre half like a Mulgrew with pedigree and of a standard to marshal the defence.

There's also 4 I consider wage thieves who will definitely need a significant payoff or run down their contracts as we they will not end up anywhere of a higher standard or on more money.

I suppose it brings up all sorts of debates as have been outlined already in the last 20 pages:

• Will SOD be pushed forward into a right midfielder?
• Is McGinn going to be used as a RB to facilitate the above or right side of a back 3?
• Does GA think central defence is now covered with Ojala, McGinn, Lamie, Sol, Bevis, Devine and Carroll (as he was a few times last season)?
• Despite what we all think as @thisGRAEME pointed out way back, GA inexplicably fancies McGinley, does he now think this position is covered?
• If we go 532, how is Tierney best used in that?
• Are we going to see Maguire, Mahon, Johnson and Shields push on to any significant degree?

As you point out, potential for quite a bit of business despite what has been drip fed publicly. It only takes one marquee summer signing to prompt a focus of tactics and formation away from where it looks like we are at present.

[rowsdower]

Burrows said they were working on some things, so I don't think it's a case of GA being happy with what we have, but it's possible we're either waiting on specific people, or we're losing out to other teams.

I think we definitely need a few more in, but I don't think our squad is bad enough that we need to panic.

[Nadroj]

Liam Donnelly - yay, nay, or meh?

[Jim McLean's Ghost]

11 minutes ago, Nadroj said:

Liam Donnelly - yay, nay, or meh?

meh.

Good for kicking an opponent and has a decent shot on him. Lacks pace and ability to pick a pass. Can play a bit of CB in a back 3.

Teamed up with Liam Polworth in midfield to give us a 3rd place finish in 2019/20. You are just an Allan Campbell short of recreating that...

Not the worst signing since he is kind of proven at this level although didn't look anywhere near his best after his injury lay off. Already looking forward to him scoring a screamer against us.

If you continue to play 4-4-2 I don't see a place for him in the team. His mobility is an issue. But then are you going to do that because I don't see Alan Power thriving in a 2 man centre midfield either.

[Kapowzer]

I'd echo that Meh. Plays best as the extra cover in front of the central defenders. Amazing run in the first few months of 2019/20 season then got injured, but was already on or near double figures by the end of September, mostly all 20 yard contenders or it seems like it. Was out for a year and got knee surgery, then a few cameos and back onto the treatment table for an extended period. Don't know if he was rushed back or unlucky.

We were hoping he recreates that run from 2019, but unfortunately he didn't ever look close to it. Granted different manager and set up from then and he did return to a regular start when we went through our dismal run. That may cloud some people's judgement as many felt his starts were at the expense of those who offered more or were at least in form.

I'd give him the benefit of the doubt because I've felt Alexander has made a number of decent players look mediocre with his instructions and tasks he's given them at times.

I think player and club felt it was the right time to part ways. Thought he was a shoe in to go to Paisley due to the connection.

[ropy]

7 hours ago, Nadroj said:

Liam Donnelly - yay, nay, or meh?

I never took to his beard 

[fat_tony]

Just FYI in case anyone missed it, the ECL 2nd round home tickets are now on sale for season ticket holders £15 for an Adults and probably less for others.
 
Should be going on public sale soon as well.

Where did you see this? There's nothing on the website or Twitter as far as I can see.

[welldaft]

8 hours ago, Nadroj said:

Liam Donnelly - yay, nay, or meh?

If he could guarantee to stay fit then I would say yay. But that is a big if. 53 appearances over 4 seasons. 

Always felt he looked as if he was running in treacle, but he could be a very effective defensive midfielder and as has been mentioned has a decent shot on him. So likely to score the odd screamer. 

So add me to the meh list due to proneness to injury…

['WellDel]

12 hours ago, one m in Motherwell said:

Ah, fitness consiglieri Mich’el…what could have been…

Ah, the enigma that is/was Mich'el Parker, has always intrigued me. Bounced around numerous clubs without ever making an appearance, and in an age where even youth players have a bit of profile and online visibility, the bold yin is virtually ghost-like.

Kudos to the guy, and in particular his agent. Obviously not a footballer in any way, shape or form, yet has spent years being employed as such and earning a, presumably, modest crust.

A quick Google search (he doesn't exist on wiki) tells us briefly that after leaving us at the end of his contract in January, he pitched up at Linfield, but again I think he failed to feature and is not in their squad listings for the upcoming season. They still have Ben Hall and Christy Manzinga though.

Where will he pitch up next? Keep your eye out for the next update on 'Mich'el Parker - (non) Footballing Nomad'.

[capt_oats]

10 hours ago, Nadroj said:

Liam Donnelly - yay, nay, or meh?

Donnelly's a weird one in that I'd have been absolutely fine with him sticking around but equally him moving on felt like a completely natural parting of ways.

Robinson signed him as a centre half but didn't play him (quelle suprise). The gist seemed to be that he'd struggled with the strength and conditioning aspect and just generally struggled with adapting to the physical side of the Scottish game. The result was he was regularly picking up knocks - he only made 7 league appearances that season (6 starts, 1 sub).

2nd season he found a niche in the team as a midfielder with Ally Gorrin having left. He slotted in well alongside Polworth and Campbell - although the season was curtailed he finished our joint top scorer on 11 goals.

3rd season his knee fell apart after the first league game and that was that. Season a complete write-off, he didn't kick a baw again in 20/21.

4th season Robinson had resigned the season prior, Alexander pretty much admitted that on reflection he'd pushed Donnelly a bit too hard in pre-season and it meant he missed the opening months. Then when he did get a run in the side it coincided with our form sailing wildly off a cliff.

I think that's the rub, he has the appearance of a defender who wants to be a midfielder and has some (but not all) of the qualities to play in there. He worked in that role because Robinson's midfield 3 was a bit looser and probably leaned more on the things Donnelly is good at and benefitted from Allan Campbell, whereas Alexander's set up exposed him a bit more and didn't have Allan Campbell.

Either way, he's currently in and around the NI set up and IIRC was their record cap holder at u21 level with 24. He's a useful player to have around the squad and tbh, if McInnes figures him out then he'd be solid first team player.

1 hour ago, 'WellDel said:

A quick Google search (he doesn't exist on wiki) tells us briefly that after leaving us at the end of his contract in January, he pitched up at Linfield, but again I think he failed to feature and is not in their squad listings for the upcoming season. They still have Ben Hall and Christy Manzinga though.

I noticed big Christy has just signed for a team in Hungary the other day (to be clear it was a story on Cedric's IG that made me look rather than me following Linfield's Twitter).

Edited July 1, 2022 by capt_oats

[SS77]

Appreciate that it’s obviously St Mirren related but we got Keith Lasley on our podcast for a chat last night if anyone fancies checking it out.

[Swello]

8 minutes ago, SS77 said:

Appreciate that it’s obviously St Mirren related but we got Keith Lasley on our podcast for a chat last night if anyone fancies checking it out.

It'll be interesting to see how much Lasley takes from Alan Burrows' approach as I don't think it's going too far to say that he has become a bit of a role model for Chief Exec roles at clubs of our size. I thought the decision St Mirren took with OF tickets was instructive as it's something that Lasley obviously saw play out at Motherwell without the sky falling in (and the fact it gained a lot of good will from the supporters).

Within the bounds of football rivalry, I'd like to see him make a success of his new role as he always seemed to me to  be one of the good guys.